How to get a Fritzing pcb fabricated?

In spite of my many criticism of circuit diagrams posted on the Forum using Fritzing I have found that it is very easy to use to design a simple 2-sided PCB.

I know I can get them manufactured by Fritzing but I would also like to get another quote for comparison.

After a lot of Googling I have been unable to find anything that lists the steps that need to be taken after I have completed my design to get the file or files that have to be uploaded to the PCB manufacturer's website. The websites themselves just have a link "upload data files" but I can't find anywhere what files they can work with.

I can get Fritzing to produce a bunch of Gerber files but they don't seem to have standard file extensions and I don't know if they all need to be uploaded.

If anyone has done this I would appreciate some pointers.

...R

I am a big fan of OSH Park.

The user interface has a nice preview with filters for each layer. In other words, you get visual feedback about what you uploaded. Give them a try.

Thanks.

Do you just make a ZIP file with all the gerber files created by Fritzing and upload the ZIP file? That's the part I am unclear about.

...R

That's what I remember.

I also recall the file extensions made little / no difference. I believe the layer number (which is stored in the file) is the important part.

There was something special about the drill file. That may need a special file extension. Or only use "standard" sizes. Or both.

I believe the OSH Park folks have documented what they expect on their site.

Thanks again. Will follow it up.

...R

@Robin2
Have you seen this site which compares manufactures?

This is the company I use, very fast, good quality so far.
https://www.pcbway.com/

When I want to try a new company, I email my zipped files to them and ask if they are usable for manufacturing (my pcb program is quite old).
All have responded positively to the request.

This post might be of interest to you (if you can see your PCB using the gerber viewer, you will probably be okay).
https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=445951.msg3605147#msg3605147

Thanks. An interesting range of prices from £12 to £450 for 20 pieces 30x15 mm.

And I may find myself paying a bit more than the minimum for quicker delivery.

As I slept on the matter I realized I had forgotten a couple of things on my design and I probably won't get much chance to do it before next Friday.

Will report back eventually.

...R

@Coding Badly and @larryd - nice links.

I researched both local and online pcb mfg not too long ago; the links I found were profoundly expensive for a prototype board (full of my many mistakes). As an alternative, I used my flat griddle iron to transfer the toner the dual clad pcb; results would vary due to the unscientific process. Disappointments were unnerving. Hence, I began searching for a more controlled environment for prototypes; T-shirt presses and the like. The T-shirt presses appeared flimsy and reviews were poor; instead, I found a heavy duty rosin press. Caution – you may appear on a list of the Revenue Commissioners and Criminal Assets Bureau of Ireland.

Obviously, if final production is the intent, my comment should be disregarded.

I like to use PCBWay, they offer many colors beside icky green at little or no cost (white vs black silkscreen will cost a lot, so check both ie yellow with white silkscreen was $5 on my recent project but yellow with black silkscreen was $25 instead) Cheap shipping is about 1 month to US, DHL available for under 1 week but it's pricey

I have used JLCPCB before and the first time, they are cheap but they tended to get expensive on shipping, not much discount on color choices beside green, and 2 of the orders both came in with smudged silkscreen so OK but not great. Shipping is also about 1 month for cheap and under 1 week for DHL

Long ago I used to use iTead for PCB but they aren't cheapest anymore. They have never screwed up my order though so it's still to consider for quality run.

OSHPark is probably faster for US orders because they are in US. The last order I sent was free shipping and under 1 week from finished. (tiny order, just $1 total for 3 boards) I made it because I am tired of having to re-position the 3 parts for external clock to breadboard Arduino so a quick PCB to plug in 2 XTAL pins and ground wire since not all AVR has ground pin next to XTAL pins.

oshpark is better quality than pcbway... i found that the traces tor up really easy with the pcbway boards....

Hmmm I haven't had any problem with traces from PCBWay. Are they very thin (less than 0.1") or something? Or maybe there's too much heat from soldering iron?

Qdeathstar:
oshpark is better quality than pcbway... i found that the traces tor up really easy with the pcbway boards....

“tore up to easy”
I have had zero problems with the company's quality.
To make a report like this without supporting information is very abstract.

If you said .005” traces come off that would be one thing, but just to say "traces" gives us no information.
Maybe you have your iron set too high in temperature.
Maybe you place th iron on a pad too long.

It would be my guess that all the China PCB manufactures use the same source for the copper clad material.

PCB manufactures drill etch etc. the boards, not make the FR4 materials.

Neat. If you get a pcb printed from PCBway, something bad will happen.

Qdeathstar:
Neat. If you get a pcb printed from PCBway, something bad will happen.

LOL

...R

As I started this Thread and got some very helpful advice I think I should bring you up to date.

The idea for getting the PCB made was to make it easier to attach an Attiny 1634 to an nRF24. As you can see the way I have been doing it is rather tedious but does make for a very small package.

What I was thinking of getting made is a very small PCB like this (just one side to give the idea)
Test1634Ce_etch_copper_top.jpg

So the Attiny could be fixed on one side and then the board could be dropped over the pins on the nRF24 with the Attiny on the underside. Then all the contacts that need to be accessible could be on the visible side of the board.

I had nearly finalized the design when it occurred to me to consider again the possibility of using an ESP8266-12 0r -07 as an alternative to the nRF24 and Attiny. Previously I had been put off by the need to deal with all the WiFi "infrastructure" and the possibility of needing a router or Access Point.

When I took the time to consider the ESP8266 properly a few days ago I discovered the ESP-NOW mode of usage which allows you to use them in a peer-to-peer arrangement just like an nRF24.

And, making a working ESP8266 by soldering on 2 rows of header pins and 4 x 10k resistors is far far simpler (and cheaper) than using an nRF24 and an Attiny 1634 even if I had the PCB so I have (for now anyway) given up the idea of getting PCBs made.

I have written about using the ESP-NOW protocol here.

...R

It seems like I have been trying to be too clever for my own good.

It was brought to my attention in my Thread about ESP-NOW that that the ESP8266 is considerably more power-hungry than the nRF24 + Attiny. And I need to minimise power consumption.

So, back to the Fritzing drawing board :slight_smile:

...R

Yep, i've found that you need a powersupply capable for providing about 2A to get reliability from an esp8266. Im sure with a better design, you can get closer to the 500ma it states in the "data sheet" but i got to piss with the cock i got...

Qdeathstar:
Yep, i've found that you need a powersupply capable for providing about 2A to get reliability from an esp8266. Im sure with a better design, you can get closer to the 500ma it states in the "data sheet" but i got to piss with the cock i got...

My concern is with Amp-hrs rather than amps. I need to run off a 160mAh LiPo which also drives a small DC motor.

The ESP8266 works fine off a pair of AA alkaline cells that are well past their best. I have not actually tried it on the LiPo because I would have needed to reduce the voltage a little and I was lazy.

...R

Ah, hell. PM your schematic and board in eagle cad format. I'll print, etch, drill it and ship it across the pond at no cost to you; it's the least I could do for what you've (unknowingly) taught me over the years.

JMeller:
Ah, hell. PM your schematic and board in eagle cad format. I'll print, etch, drill it and ship it across the pond at no cost to you; it's the least I could do for what you've (unknowingly) taught me over the years.

That's extremely kind of you. However I only have the Fritzing files and I want to get maybe a dozen of them made. It will also be a useful learning experience for me to deal with a PCB fabrication company.

And I certainly don't feel that you owe me anything.

Thank you again for your kind offer.

...R